Toy or model boat



Dec. 21, 19,26. Y 1,611,613 v Y G. STEVENSON TOY OR MODEL BOAT Filed May 18 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 35C Ir I l "nl E9 33 6 Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

UNl'lED STATES teiten PATENT vorties.

GEORGE STVENSON, OFlR''TlTRGLEN, SCOTLAND.

TOY OR MODEL BOAT.

Application filed May 18, 1925, Serial N0. 31,222. and in Great Britain May 22, 1924.

rlhis invention relates to toy or model vessels of all kinds.

According to the invention a toy ormodel vessel has means combined therewith whereby it may be towed by a person on the shore or bank and at the same time caused to perform certain manoeuvres, such as proceeding outwards from the shore, moving parallel to the-shore, turning and proceeding towards the` shore, or turning away from the shore andtrac'ing a course parallel thereto, or following a course in the form of a ligure 8 or a. combination of these manuvres, at the will of the operator. Y

The toy or model vessel has in combination therewith a -manoeuvring line, a keel, centreboard, dagger, or the like; and means for attaching the line to the vessel, the line being so attached to the vessel, and the keel or equivalent being so shaped and so disposed7 that, in virtue of the co-operation of the line with the keel or equivalent, the vessel may be manoeuvred from the bank or shore.

lNotwithstanding the provision of these manoeuvring arrangements, the sailing, steering and stability qualities of the vessel are maintained and even improved.

Convenient embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings whereon Fig. 1 is a general view of a vessel having a keel and towing line according to the 1nvention;

Fig. 2 shows a vessel with the keel reversed;

Fig. 3 shows a detachable keel therefor;

Fig. d shows the method of inanceuvring a vessel so fitted.

Fig. 5 shows a detachable keel and steering gear according to a modification of the invention g Figs. 6 and 7 show details of the steering gear;

Fig. 8 shows the method of manoeuvring a vessel fitted with the modified keel and steering gear. Y

Fig. 9 shows a vessel. with the keel reversed and under sail;`

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 denotes a iin keel secured to the hull 2 of a vessel which it is desired to manoeuvre. It isessential that the `centre of lateral resistance of the vessel (Le. the point at whichthe resultant force of the water resisting lat1 eral movement of the vessel may be considered as acting) should be well forward, and it will be apparent that, to effect this with various ship forms, various shapes and sizes of keels corresponding` thereto willhave to be used. With many types of vessel the triangular shape shown, with the greater part of its area forward has been found suitable. This location of the centre of lateral resistance causes a tendency for the stern to swing round out of the line of motion.

Fig. 3 shows convenient means of attaching the keel to the hull by means of studs 3 on the hull adapted to engage slots 4 cut on a ilange 5 on the top edge of the keel 1. Such an arrangement allows -of the keel being readily detached from the hull or being reversed as shown in Fig. 2 for a purpose which will hereafter appear.

To provide the necessary stability for the vessel it may be necessary to load the keel. 'lo this end a slot 6 is cut in the keel as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with which a streamlined weight 7 having a groove 8 and catch 9 `is adapted to engage.` Preferably thecentre of gravity of the keel occupies the same fore-and-aft position whether the keel is in its normal or in its reversed position. Furl thermore, the keel or equivalent may be folding, hinged, pivoted or otherwise movably arranged.

ln conjunction with the keel as above described, a manoeuvring or towing line 10, 11 is used, each end of the line being attached to the hull by means of any one oi a series ofi-ings 12, 13, 1li or 15, 16, 17 ori/each of the ships bows, to which they may be secured by spring clips, sister hooks or spiral hooks or otherwise. v

The two parts 10 and 11 are preferably in one length or are joined together at their landward ends to make a single length.

At the middle of the length of the line a l handle, ring or the like 18 is secured and,` on each side of the handle 18 and equidistant therefrom, a side handle is lined, these being denoted by the numerals 19 and 20. To ren der these side handles 19 and 20 more readily distinguishable the one from the other, they Vare preferably of different shapes and (or) differently coloured.

The following is the operation of the arrangement. y

If, as shown in Fig. 4t, the part 10 of the line is grasped by the handle. 19, its other end being' attached te one of .the rines 12.13 0..

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14 and the direct-ion vand p'ointof'application of the pull are such that the line ot the pull passes through theJ centre ot lateral resist# ance located on the centre line, the pullv may he resolved into 'two r ctangular components acting` through the centre ot lateral resistance7 the one transversely of the vessel and the other along its centre line in an ahead direction. It, then, the area of the l-teel he great enough, this transverse component will he balanced h v the lateral resistance oiered hy the water and the resultant torce Will he ahead. Hence the vessel vvill. inove parallel to the bank or shore.

It, however, the position of attachment ot the cord and the direction of the pull are such that the line ot the pull intersects the centre line ot thevessel ahead ot, or ahalft, the centre of'lateral resistance, there Will he, in addition to the aheadV component, an

inivardljf or outwardly turning nioinent and the vessel Will approachor leave the'hanli.

In'the-ineantinie the part ll ot the line Will'he. slack, passingv under the hull to one ol the rines l5. 16 or 17 and will have little or no etlect on the vessels progress.

Hence, it the vessel is at the bank or shore and it is desired that it should proceed out- Wards,- the part l0 (or l1 as the case niaj: be) is affixed to the hull in a position to give the desired result ahove. lt is to he noticed.J however, that to give outward inotion, the point ot attachment oit the line need not he ahatt the centre ot lateral resistance, hut only the pointot intersection oit the line ot the pull and the centre line need he so situated. ln the majority ot cases the point o attachment of the line will he before the centre ot lateral resistai'ice. By pullinga with the handle Q0 the outward niotion inap' he checked r the vessel turned shorervards.

1When the vessel is to he towed directly liehind the operator the handle 18 is grasped, equal towing torces being then app..ed to hoth sides ot the vessel.

It will he apparent that the further the point ot intersection ot the line ol the pull and the centre line is from the centre ol lateral resistance, the more sharply,Y .vill the vessel turn. Hence, tor Working, in cou lined water, the point ot attachment ot the line should he incre nearly aheain offer even ahaft, the centre of lateral resistance, than when Working in open Water.

lt it desired to ton' the Vessel in one direction alongshore or behind a boat Without manoeuvring, and to increase'L the radius of action, one end or" the towing line may he detached troni the hull and held in the hand.l thev portions lO and l1 then formingr` a' single lengt-h. 'l

Referring non' to' the niodilied con struction shoivn in Figsf to 9, tli'e'leel :is in two' parte 21 arid 22' with Space left' b@- tive'en the parts. F or convenience, hoth parts 2l and 22 of the keel are niounted on a hase 24 which can he readily attached to the hull by n'ieans of studs 25, engaging ineinliers QG, 25 on the hull havingl slots in theni siinilar to the slots Il shown in Fig. i).

rlhe forward part 22 ot the heel is pivote l to the hase 211- by a vertical rod or pin which may be supported at its lower end li); a curved bracket 28. rlhe upper edge of the part 22, which inay he termed a rudder, has a sloping recess 2) 'formed in it on one side ot the pivot pin 27.

Also pivotally n'iounted on the pin 2T i a lever, radius rod or til'ler 30, shown in def-.il .viii in Fig. 7. The pin 27 passes through holes 3l, 3l and to the other end a single niauceuvring cOrdlO"L is attached. The tiller B0 has tivo lateral extensions 32, 32 adapted to engage and aetuate the rudder 22, when turned.

A sp'ringineniher as shown n an enY larged scale'in Fig. 6, is slidahly secured to the hase el. h v means ot staples or the litt 33a ahore the recess 29 in the rudder The spring nieniher 33 has a transvers or loop 33 at one end, and tu'o prongl at its other, and can .slide in the staples in Contact with the under side ot the. has the two prongs 33 deiending' on either o't' the rudder and liinitii'igl its motion.

To ensure the inannvring line i0" p ing, Without fouling between the ruddei and the keel 2l a Weight is attached to it. For the saine purpose, the loiver tore corner of the keel 21 is rounded.

The working of this arrangementis as tollows.

The vessel, starting troni the shore or bank, receives a. pull through the line 10* which causes the tiller 30 to swing over and turn the rudder 22 till arrested hy one of the prongs 33". The towine :..o ce is now in ef t1 iect applied to one houv or shawl vessel and it inatters are arrang, explained, the vessl will proceed fait .troni the shore. this n'ioveiiieiitln hf.' the skew position of the rudder it will continue to do tor a certain die depending on the shape and size olf the z the length of the tillci" and the torni o t 21;: vessel, alter which it will tollenv a cor :#1- parallel to the shore, owii'ig to the lin@A o the applied pull altering.

It, now. when the vessel has sonie waff on, the towinq force he suddenly relaxed, the iff;

vessel will, on account ot the siren' position of the rudder. turn outwards sharply. and

if the operator, while vthe vessel isturning. retraees his steps along the shore, and shortly afterwards re-app'lies the towing torce, thev tiller `30 Will swing over to the other side carrying with' it the rudder theline 20a passing through the space Q3. andy the vessel vWill again recede troni' the shore in the other direction when the nia- 130 fit) ntcuvre may be repeated, the course being zig-zag.

If, again, the operator pulls in the line steadily, the vessel will describe a substantially circular course shorewards and if desired, may be caused to turn round and pursue a course parallel to the shore in the opposite direction.

In this way the vessel may he caused to perform practically any manoeuvre.

If it is desired to propel the vessel by sails without the towing line, the spring member 33 is moved forward so that the loop 531 jams against the inclined edge of the recess 29 as shown in Fig. 9, allowing the rudder to be fixed in any desired position. In both the embodiments as shown with reference to Figs. l to t or Figs. 5 to 9 the sailing qualities of the vessel are enhanced by detaching the keel and attaching it in the reverse position, with the greater part of its area aft.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 9 the forward part 22 of the keel may be rigid with the base or hull, the spring member 38 being dispensed with and the extensions 32 of the tiller 30 merely acting as stops for the tiller. f

The action is precisely the same, the vessel turning outwards; when released suddenly. lhe reason for this is that, when moving vparallel to the shore, the vessels motion is not exactly along or parallel to its centre line but its bow is turned slightly outwards. Hence there is a tendency for the vessel to turn outwards on account of the comparatively large underwater area forward, which tendency is resisted by the towing cord. When, however, this is released the vessel swings outwards as before described.

'Ihe invention may obviously be applied to mechanically propelled vessels, for manoeuvring purposes only.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A, model vessel designed so that its centre of lateral resistance is located forward of amidships thereby causing a tendency for th-e stern to swing round to one side or the other, and, in conjunction therewith, a manceuvring line and means for attaching said line to the vessel, so that forces variable in direction may be applied by an operator to the vessel through said line, which forces in coaction with the force of lateral resistance cause the vessel to follow a course depending on the line of action of the said applied forces.

2. The combination with a model of a keel of triangular shape adapted to be attached to the vessel with the major part of its area forward so as to bring the centre of lateral resistance forward of amidships and thereby to causea tendency for the stern to swing round to one side or the other, a manoeuvring line and means for attaching said line to the vessel, so that forces variable lin direction may be applied by an operator to the vessel through said line, which forces in coaction with the force of lateral resistance cause the Vessel to follow a course depending on the line of action of the said applied forces. Y

3. The combinationwith a model vessel of a manoeuvring line adapted to be manipulated by an operator on the shore, a rudder adapted to be actuated by said line, means co-operating with said line and said rudder to produce turning forces tending to turn the vessel in a direction different from that of forces applied through said line to the vessel, said means comprising a keel having a maximum area portion located forward of the midships.

fl. The combination with a model vessel of a manoeuvring line adapted to be manipulated by an operator on the shore, a rudder', a tiller loosely pivoted on the rudder pivot and having two laterally and downwardly extending projections one on either side of the rudder to engage said rudder, the ma noeuvring line being attached to said tiller to actuate the rudder, a slidable spring mem ber having means co-acting with said rudder to prevent, and depending prongs to limit, the rotation of they rudder, and means cooperating with said line and said rudder to produce turning forces tending to turn the vessel in a direction different from that of forces applied to the vessel through said line, said means comprising a keel whose shape is such, and whose area is so disposed as to cause the centre of lateral resistance of the vessel to be located forward of amidships.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

GEORGE STEVENSON.

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